


Kiss Me Goodnight

by Sonny



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-09-09
Updated: 2004-09-09
Packaged: 2017-10-13 14:17:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/138281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sonny/pseuds/Sonny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Back in Season One, when Craig Taylor side-swipe Brian in his Jeep at the stop light... WHAT IF? Michael had been in the Jeep, too (not w/David at his cabin)? What ramification would an accident like this have had?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Simple... For PatG

_  
  
**Brian & Michael - 15 years old**   
  
_

  
"Thanks, Brian." Michael Novotny stomped up the back porch steps of the Novotny household, intent on being as quiet as a church mouse as he tried to walk into the silent home. He was trapped between the screen door and the wood paneling one.

The goofiest grin rested on his lips.

Brian Kinney stood on the bottom step, contemplating his new friend under the terrible porch lighting overhead. The raven black hair, curling and glistening with the sheen of mist from evening rain and the reddish hue to his cheeks from the exertion of activity. "So... you had fun?"

"Fun?" Michael bit his lip, raising his eyes to look at the clear night sky left over after the misty raindrops. "Hmmm... I'm afraid my idea of *fun* would bore the crap outta you. Your idea of fun... leaves me..." He took in a huge gulp of air. "... almost breathless..."

Brian felt his own blush heat his pale, cool skin. "I like how you talk." He scuffed his shoe on the cement steps. "You don't speak to me like I'm a dumbass... or nothing behind a pretty face." His thumbs tucked in his back pockets.

Michael shook his head in disbelief. He still couldn't believe not one classmate of his had befriended Brian Kinney, at all, during the new semester at school. He noticed Brian fidgeting on the steps, like he was afraid of entering the warmth within. "Would you like to come in, Brian?"

Brian almost took the offer, but he could still feel the bruises on his arm from Jack's insistence of a  ew morning chore for his dutiful son to uphold. "Nah... I gotta split."

Michael opened the door slowly. "Can we do this again sometime?"

Brian raised a curious eyebrow. "Really? You wouldn't mind...?" He cleared his throat, not wanting to sound too hopeful. "Well, I think those high school bullies'll leave you alone. Unless you think it's kinda necessary for me to walk with ya' to school tomorrow. We could reinforce the issue without having to make these silly *dates*."

Michael shrugged, not wanting to seem too eager for Brian's company, like a lovesick girl. "I thought you told me... this was no *date*?"

Brian chuckled, but was soon forced to turn around and face the night sky. "Wha-?!"

"HOLY SHITTER!! Look... Brian..." Michael pushed Brian to falter down a step, but kept his warm body close behind, to guide him. His arms rested on the wide, boney shoulders. The hands simply finding their way to rest on the developing chest, pulling Brian toward Michael. "Wow! That stuff is rare. Especially in Pittsburgh! What did you wish for?"

Brian had caught the last half of a falling star, something he'd never witnessed before. He was too preoccupied with the blatant caress of Michael's hands on his body. The tender, almost soothing, touches he was foreign to. "I thought wishes were only for birthdays?" He wanted to hold that hand, on his chest, slide his skin over the dewy softness.

Michael didn't like the way Brian bowed his head, as if ashamed of not knowing something as silly as falling stars and making wishes on them. He brought up his chin to rest on his one arm, on Brian's right shoulder. Tilting his head to look down, Michael's jaw nearly hit Brian's head. The tender brush of the honeyed strands tickled his nose. "You don't have to tell me what you wished for." He teased, looking up to see if anymore would fall, just for Brian's sake.

"It's already fallen, Michael. Over with. Don't worry about it."

"Who says you have to live by The Rules? I say you saw it... well, the tail end of it. Take it with you, back to your bedroom. When you lay your head down on your pillow, closing your eyes tight to go to sleep... make the wish. I'm pretty sure there's no time limit on wishing."

Brian tugged himself out of Michael's comforting embrace. It was making him feel too much. Want what he knew he could never have, what he didn't deserve. He felt like revealing all those foolish dreams, forgotten wishes he usually made at night. Or the silly prayers he proclaimed, muttering under his  breath, during church on Sundays.

Michael felt a sudden chill from being away from Brian's body heat. "So... I'll see you at school tomorrow?" He was about to bring up a hand to wave.

Brian hadn't budged from the step, in order to head home.

Michael chuckled, not realizing how the terrible lighting made his eyes, literally, sparkle.

Brian had to intake a sharp breath, never knowing such *beauty* could be hidden under such ordinariness.

Michael put out a small hand, cupping Brian's shoulder. "It's okay. I'm home now. Safe. You can leave me." He couldn't help feeling like Brian couldn't, or wouldn't, let him go. The idea didn't scare him in the least. He never had a best friend before. Never knew the protocol, the limits to their relationship.

With Brian Kinney, though, one would know that *rules* were always made to be broken.

Brian cleared his throat, tucking his shaking hands in his back pockets. "If you don't mind... I'll wait until you get inside, then I want you to lock the door. Once you do that... grab whatever you usually come down for, from the kitchen, in the middle of the night, for a snack. Get upstairs and into your bedroom. Only turn on ONE light. Then, maybe, I'll think about heading home."

Michael stared aghast in wonderment. "You care about my welfare THAT much?"

"Michael, I don't make many friends. At least, not very easily. I'd hate to lose out on a good thing. I got a rep to protect." Brian shuffled about to take hold of the screen door. "Well? Are you going in or not? I can stand here as long as you..."

Michael leaned down to silence Brian with an unexpected peck on the lips. Over as quickly as the soft kiss began.

Brian had shut his eyes at the tender touch to his mouth, unsure of Michael's purpose. His motivation. People tended to come at Brian in anger and frustration, not out of love and acceptance. Or just because he was there. He had to have done something to make Michael react. He reopened his lids, a bit stunned, but slightly excited by the sheer pleasure it brought to Michael's features. "What was that?"

"A kiss."

"Duh-Huh?!"

"A Kiss G'night." Michael tried the simplest explanation he knew.

Brian scrunched his dark brow. "What for?"

Michael shrugged, not really knowing why. He simply felt compelled to kiss Brian's lips. "To *thank you*?"

"A *thank you* would've been nice."

Michael quirked up one side of his mouth. "Maybe... I'm NOT nice."

"Mikey..." Brian snickered, shaking his head at the improbability of that thought.

Michael gave Brian the benefit of doubt. His tone of voice didn't carry off any believability at all. "I have a favorite Uncle. My Ma's younger brother, Vic. He lives in New York. He tells me, one day, `Mike, it ain't right to go to bed angry, or upset. Take the time to hash problems out. And if we can't communicate, just yet, if we can't see *eye-to-eye*... at least, kiss me goodnight. We might still haven't settled our differences or said our peace to one another, but it should never go unnoticed how much love is between us. Always... never forget... to kiss g'night.' ."

Brian had nothing to say to compare. "You love `im a lot? This Uncle Vic?"

"Yeah." Michael chuckled, a bit embarrassed to reveal such love for an elder parental figure. "He's been my *surrogate* father since I was a baby." He felt like he had to explain why he loved Vic so much.

Brian simply nodded his head in deep understanding. "I like New York. I wanna live there one day and work in Manhattan. Do you visit him often?" He wanted to know if he could tag along, maybe once or twice, on a trip.

"On occasion. He comes to see us, mostly. There's days where he'll show up here bright and early, while I'm almost off to school. He's been driving for hours after getting out of some club in Manhattan, Long Island or Brooklyn. Doesn't even think. Just gets in his car and... drives..."

"Wow!" Brian was flabbergasted. It was exactly what he wanted to be doing with his life, to come and go as he pleased. Not having to answer to anyone or anybody. "He sounds cool. I'd like to meet him."

"You will soon. One day." Michael gave another sweet smile and a teeny wave. "Bye, Brian."

Michael almost had his second leg inside the doorway before Brian climbed back up the steps toward him.

"Wait! Hold up! Michael...!" Brian snatched Michael's flaying hand.

"Wha-?" Michael never got the chance to ask his question or to even breathe.

Brian gently pressed Michael against the back door paneling as it fully opened, smacking the wall. He had to lift the slight form higher in order for their lips to meld properly. At first, the meager brush was one of inexperienced hunger and sweet craving. Soon turning into a kiss of deep longing and frenzied wanting, becoming a featherweight pressure of mouths, periodically seeking a random nip.

When he released Michael, Brian felt the small hands search for a place to touch him. He threaded their fingers together, pinning them on the door, beside Michael's bowing head. Their heavy breathing mingled in the confines of their closeness. "I think..." Brian meshed his sweaty forehead down to Michael's. "... that's what Vic meant, Mikey."

"Are you sure?" Michael could barely speak. His eyes only focusing on Brian's moving lips. He wanted to taste them again... and again and again.

"Pretty positive." Brian smirked against Michael's open mouth. "Did you like the kissing, Mikey?"

Michael slowly nodded his head. A lone tear falling out of his eye. Sorrowful, puppy brown eyes gazed at Brian's lips. A shaking hand gripped Brian's jaw, a tiny thumb came out to press against the red puffiness. "Kissing... only you."

"No, Michael, I..." Brian wiped at Michael's tear.

"I'm fine. It's just my stupid emotions." Michael brushed off the silly feeling. He tried to look away from Brian.

They heard scuffled noises from above, like someone getting out of bed and moving about hardwood flooring.

"Gotta go, Mikey." Brian wanted to make as hasty an exit as he could without Debbie Novotny reigning down on him.

"No! Wait! I, uh..." Michael bit his lip, while a smile broadened. "Stay... right there. Don't go." He raced into the kitchen, pulling open a cabinet that housed his Mom's Tupperware, jiggled the cookie jar open, took out a fair amount to fit the container, then he peeked into the fridge. His last move was to rip off a sheet of paper towel. "Here."

Brian looked down at all the stuff Michael passed to him. "Mikey... no. This isn't right." He tried to push the pile back at him. "Your Mom made these for you."

"Sure she made them for me to do with what I want. I want to give them to you."

Brian shook his head. "If this is some kind of charity work on your part... I'll throw these down on the ground and stomp on them."

Michael squinted his eyes. "But they're double chunk chocolate chip."

Brian quirked up his eyebrow. "Double chunk?"

"Yeah." Michael moved to put his hands on his hips. "Oh... and..." He pulled out the small carton of milk from his pocket. "Something to wash it down with."

"Why?" Brian wanted to know why Michael was being so nice, kind to him.

"Because..." Michael stared directly into those mesmerizing hazel eyes. "...I wanted to and no one else will." He quickly stepped up to buss Brian's cheek as he slowly pushed him out the door. "G'night, Brian." His fingers combed through the silky hair.

The wooden door slammed closed and locked securely, as Brian had wished.

Brian felt the screen door hit him in the back as he brushed his hand on the light blue paneling. "G'night, Mikey." He stepped down off the porch steps, backward, looking up at the lights going on and off in the household.

Michael took the path Brian had suggested, making sure to grab a midnight snack on the way up.

Brian ached to be inside the house. Not necessarily to feel like part of a real family, but to feel  something tangible to the pain and fear he felt everyday in his own home.

Instead of being inside, Brian sufficed with remaining outside, making sure Michael made it, safely, to bed. He paced around the side of the house, secretly climbing onto the next door neighbor's porch. He dangled over their railing, where Michael's window was located on the side of the Novotny home. While he waited for Michael to get prepared for bed, he sat and enjoyed the warm, gooey cookies with chilled milk.

Brian knew that if he had done what Michael had wanted, bringing the food home to eat... it would have been confiscated and taken from him. Better to enjoy the pleasure while he had it right in his hands.

A light misty rain started up again.

Brian never batted an eyelash. He continued to munch on the delicious morsels as he watched Michael's shadowy form move, back-n-forth, behind the curtain. He drank the milk as he finished the last of the cookies.

Michael had shut off his light, showing he had gone off to bed. Probably tucked under his favorite Captain Astro sheets.

Brian made sure everything was put back in it's place. Garbage thrown away, Tupperware container cleaned and left for Michael to find on the back porch the next morning.

Brian walked away, collar turned up, shivering hands tucked into his pockets, walking home, head bowed in the light rain. Never once seeing that Michael was watching him from behind his curtains, hidden by the darkness of the night and his bedroom.

 **~~ &&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~**

 _  
  
**Brian & Michael - 30 years old**   
  
_

  
"I can't believe I chose you... over him." Michael shook his head at the utter humiliation Brian had been putting on display for him and everyone around them.

For the first time in years, they'd left Studs-N-Suds early.

"A fuckin' day, Mikey, ain't gonna kill `im." Brian was trying to balance a spoon on the tip of his nose, showing off to Michael. He fogged up the dip of the spoon, balancing it precariously. *Look at what you could have been missing*, was how Brian tried to carry out the evening. "Or wait!" He put a hand to his chest. He had managed to make the spoon remain on his nose, with no hands. "Fuck! Does he have a weak heart? When you told him you'd have to wait, did he get palpitations? I never even bothered to ask. Men the Doc's age tend to become more fragile as the years pass on."

Smiling behind his hand, Michael feigned disgust at being hoodwinked into taking one more night to think over David's spur-of-the-moment vacation offer.

Michael had been tearing apart a paper napkin as he and Brian waited for their food at the Liberty  Diner, in their usual booth. He threw pieces across the table as Brian pretended to hit *homeruns* with the stick portion of his spoon. "If it's any consolation to you... I put the trip to David's cabin off because of you."

"Moi?" Brian placed a hand on his chest *a La Emmett*. "Honey, I, surely, don't have that kind of power."

"Beg to differ. You weren't on the receiving end of that... face." Michael scrunched up his own face to *play out* Brian's usual over exaggerated features at the mere mention of Dr. David Cameron.

"What *face*? This *one*?" Brian pointed to his own face, playing innocent.

"You know exactly what *face*, Brian. There's no need for me to expound on what you already know. Plus, I didn't want you giving me shit for weeks over not spending time with you before I left. I need this relationship with David to have some steady ground."

"Michael Charles..." Brian squelched as he salivated at the look of the dinner coming his way. "Don't do me any fuckin' favors!"

Debbie strolled over carrying two plates of the Night Special. "Okay. What's he done now?!" Fists went to pound against wide hips in frustration.

"Nuthin', Ma! Brian's just bein' a pain in my ass." Michael grumbled as he went to unwrap the utensils from the cloth napkin roll.

"Christ! Tell me somethin' new, sweetie!" Debbie reached over to pinch her son's cheek as he went to take a bite of his sandwich. "You boys sober up and eat everything on your plates. I'll pack you both some black coffees, and bottled water, to go."

"Thanks, Deb." Brian was squeezing the hell out of the empty, plastic ketchup bottle, making loud *farting* noises over his hamburger. He was feeling silly enough to say "Excuse me" after each blow of air.

"Thanks, Ma." Michael rolled his eyes, grabbing for the empty, plastic ketchup bottle out of Brian's hands. "Can you bring a new one?"

Brian had enough to dunk one, or two, fries in and take a bite.

"Sure, honey." Debbie walked away, picking up a majority of their trash, littered about the table surface, on the way.

"Hey, Brian?"

"Yeah, Mikey?" Brian took a huge bite of his medium rare burger. He smiled through the glob of mayonnaise on his lips and chin. "I'm a fuckin' slob, I know." He brought over a pile of paper napkins to wipe at his face.

"No. Well, obviously, yeah, but... that's not what I was gonna say." Michael stared down at his plate, suddenly unable to enjoy his sandwich. "Give me the keys to the Jeep." He held out his palm over the table. He'd been the one who had remained sober the whole night, working off tireless energy from getting off a twelve-hour shift at the Big Q and running back to the apartment to shower, change and make it back to Brian's for a night of heavy partying.

Michael didn't even know what they were *celebrating*.

Brian made like he was reaching into his pocket. "Uh... NO!" He went back to eating, squirting more ketchup on his plate, for his fries.

"It's not a *question*, Brian." Michael dropped the subject, knowing how much Brian hated being told he was more drunk, and higher, then the night before. He would usually learn his lesson, or come to his own conclusion later on in the evening. Michael only had to be patient, make the subtle request again when Brian had more clarity. "Remind me again, WHAT exactly are we *celebrating*... besides it being Studs-N-Suds weekend?" Michael went back to eating.

"Bachelorhood?" Brian quirked an eyebrow up in question.

Michael's eyes zeroed in on Brian across the table. "What the fuck happened?"

"Papa Does Preach." Brian made a sour face in response with his words.

Michael bit the inside of his mouth. "Ah. So the Spawn of Stalker Hell actually has a sire?"

Brian nearly choked on his burger. "Michael... behave."

"It's no less then you deserve. Bound to end eventually. I'm just glad..."

"Who says it's ended?" Brian didn't know if he liked Michael looking so tickled to see the back of one Justin Taylor. He was a little too proud about the slow demise.

Michael almost inhaled his diet soda. He sputtered out. "Fuck! What? You can't be serious?!" His mouth hung open, unable to find a clear cut explanation to even keeping this Taylor kid on the *must-see* list of Brian's. What was the fuckin' attraction? "What's it gonna take for you to learn a fuckin' lesson? Does someone REALLY have to get hurt in your steed??"

"Don't joke about shit like that, Mikey. You're upset because you think this delay has soured your sprouting relationship with the Good Doc. If he truly likes you, then he can fuckin' wait a damn minute. *I* was here first!" Brian left his unfinished burger on his plate. He picked up his leather jacket from the bench seating. "I need some fuckin' fresh air." He quickly took out his pack of smokes and lighter. He stomped off in displeasure, clearly still inebriated and woozy on his feet.

Michael hurriedly jumped up, took out a twenty to place on the table, picked up his own jacket and followed after Brian. He wasn't about to be at home to receive the call that the police had found Brian face down in some alleyway... and could he come bail his best friend out? Once outside, he put on his jacket and looked down both ends of the street to see which direction Brian had headed in.

Brian was a few ways down, leaning against a lamp post and trying to light his cigarette. He hesitated in walking one more step, afraid he'd trip over his own feet.

Michael sidled up to Brian, tucking a shoulder underneath the available left armpit. He rubbed the back soothingly. "Hey you."

"Hey... you." Brian was slowly growing more sober as the seconds wore on, finding himself almost exhausted. His arm easily wrapped down and around Michael's warm body. He snuggled the precious face into his neck, his mouth finding a place to rest on the pale forehead. "I'sa nice night out."

Michael shivered in Brian's arms. "I don't know. It's kind of chilly to me. Probably even worse up in the woods."

"Yeah. It'll be better over the weekend, anyways. By tomorrow... bright, sun-shiny days ahead."

They both were making lame excuses for them being together, one more day.

"Did he really say anything to you... about Justin?"

"I'm hearing things." Brian picked at his tongue tip, feeling like there was some loose tobacco on the rough texture. He shrugged one shoulder. "No one's come to arrest me yet. So..." He took a long drag of his cigarette butt. "Score One for the heartless faggot." He reached into his front jean pocket. "Here, Mikey. I think you asked for these earlier." He threw down his cigarette, stomping on it to put out the ashes. His other hand dangled in front of Michael.

Michael held out his freezing hand for the set of keys. "You ready to go home, Brian? For real?"

"I've had a very long day, dear." Brian nodded his head down toward Michael.

"I bet you have, sweetie." Michael tried to steer Brian in the direction where the Jeep was parked. "You still hungry? You didn't eat much of your burger." He led Brian to the passenger side door of the Jeep, waiting for him to climb in. "We could stop..."

Brian emphatically shook his head to decline the kind offer. "I wasn't really that hungry. `Sides... I got food at the loft you can cook for me." He giggled as he felt extra lazy in getting up into the seat. It seemed a lot simpler on the driver's side.

Michael never missed one step, making sure Brian buckled in even though he was acting like he had no bone mass whatsoever. "There." Once Michael heard the snap of the belt buckle, he patted Brian's hands on his chest.

Brian appeared like he was burrowing down to fall asleep. All he needed was a fluffy pillow, a cuddle blanket and some milk and cookies.

One thing Michael knew, without a shred of doubt... Brian asleep, or merely drowsy, was a beautiful, heart wrenching sight to witness. "Yeah... you rest, poor little mite." He brushed away the wispy locks on Brian's forehead. Securing the door shut, Michael walked around to the driver's side. He easily climbed in, having done this one step too many times before.

As Michael started the engine, he sat idle for awhile, gazing over at Brian, almost dead to the world. Michael's right index finger came out to caress a pinpoint trail over Brian's sleeping features. Taking as much time as Brian allowed him to savor every gorgeous inch of the face he greatly adored into memory.

"Don't you worry. I'll get you home safely." Michael let out a small smile at the sound he heard.

Michael enjoyed the sigh of satisfaction coming out of those delectable lips at the light touch to the fevered skin. His thumb rubbed softly against the pink flesh. Michael leaned over to gently brush his mouth over Brian's, clearly feeling the answering pressure from the slumbering man.

Brian was always a good faker.

Michael took off into the night, unaware of having been followed for nearly the entire time he'd been with Brian.  


 **==========tbc...========**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Brian - A moment on the way home, to the Loft**_

  
 **"Mr. Kinney... please! Don't try to move! We need you to remain still!"**

 **The obnoxiously loud voices, in Brian's head, tried to wake him from a restless sleep.**

 **Brian struggled for freedom. "What is...? Wha-?" He squinted up to see a sunburst of faces looking down at him. They were strangers to him and getting mighty close to his face. He tried to put up a hand to ward them off. "Hey!"**

 **"Brian! Come on, now! You were so good for us earlier! You need to listen! We're here to help you!"**

 **Brian felt like his voice was being constricted, as if hands were choking him. "I can't..." His index finger pointed to his neck.**

 **"We've got you in a neck brace, Brian. We don't have any idea to the extent of your injuries. We need you stabilized so we can transport you to the nearest hospital."**

 **** _Injuries?? Hospital??_  
 **  
The last thing Brian remembered was climbing into the Jeep with Michael and then... nothing...**

 **** _Michael???!!! Oh... shit... fuck..._  
 **  
Brian closed his eyes, tightly, to the possibilities...**

 **"Okay! We lift him on three!"**

 **The collective voices rang out in the night air.**

 **"ONE!"**

 **"TWO!"**

 **"THREE!"**

 **The once prone stretcher, near the ground, was shaken to rise above the wheels that would roll the patient toward the ambulance. The mobile stretcher, carrying Brian, moved across the graveled road. Three Emergency Medical Technicians escorted him toward their destination. They had strapped him safely in the bed frame. They were about ready to lift him up into the back end of the ambulance. They paused to get positioned for the transfer.**

 **Brian could only look up, noticing the array of flashing lights and sirens in the sky light. If he believed in miracles, had any ounce of hope left... he could swear he saw a falling star. Had Michael been right, all those years ago? Could he make a wayward wish upon one that he wasn't sure existed, or had just been a trick of light?**

 **Brian was sure he heard the sounds of a helicopter taking off. "Mikey?" His lips moved, but the voice was mangled, weary from trauma. "Mich-al." He shut his eyes again in agony, suddenly realizing the destruction done to his own body.**

 **Waking up had shone sharp, jutting pain through every bone... every muscle.**

 **** _Was it probable for skin to even hurt, as well?_  
 **  
If Brian was this bad... how had Michael fared?**

 **** _Oh... Christ! Michael..._ **Debbie was gonna give Brian Hell...**

 **Brian's could feel his heart breaking at the frightening fear of the unknown.**

 **Nobody paid attention to the deteriorating emotional state of the patient.**

 **They were only satisfied that Brian had suddenly become quiet and docile... almost coming to grips with fate or what was left of it.**

 **As they hefted Brian inside the vehicle, there was a moment of clearing when he could have sworn he saw the Jeep tangled around a thick, wooden lamp post.  
**  
 _What the hell had happened??_

 _And where was Michael??_  
 **  
They gave Brian a shot of sedatives in his IV, hoping to make the long ride easy enough for him to handle completely unconscious.  
**

 **~~ &&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~**

  
 **The second time Brian woke up it was to find a uniformed police officer standing at his side.**

 **This time Brian was aware of his surroundings. He was inside a hospital, possibly the Emergency Room.**

 **Brian's eyes were unfocused, his neck still felt constricted... and there was still no sign of Michael.**

 **"... all I know is... if he hadn't... the driver would have been D.O.A...."**

 **"Officer... I think he's waking up." A random voice called out.**

 **The sound of a chair scraping across the floor echoed in Brian's ears.**

 **When Brian's sight began to clear, he noticed the police officer had come closer, nearly hanging over the bed. He blinked once, trying to wet his dry lips to say something.**

 **A calming hand clamped down on his bare biceps, covered by the cotton hospital gown. "It's okay, Mr. Kinney. You're all right. A few bumps and bruises. A dislocated kneecap ... but you're fine."**

 **Brian was trying to form the word "Michael", but his voice had disappeared on him again.**

 **"You've had some severe bruising to your windpipe, Mr. Kinney. That's why you can't speak very clearly. It's gonna take a few days to let the swelling disappear." The officer continued to speak down at Brian, directly into his ear. He knew Brian would go in and out of consciousness for the next few hours. "You've also been given some heavy pain medications that make you feel groggy, not quite like yourself."**

 **Brian fisted the dark blue sleeve of the Pittsburgh Police Department's Sergeant. His question still wasn't being answered.  
**  
 _Michael had been the fuckin' driver, for Christ's sake!! How could they have forgotten to mention him at all when they talked to him?!_  
 **  
"Don't worry, Mr. Kinney. We have the man who hit your Jeep." As Brian's brow furrowed in curiosity, the officer took that as a need to ask something. "Taylor. Craig Taylor. Do you know this man?" As Brian nodded his head, very slowly, the officer cleared his throat. "That's what we thought. Taylor's been airlifted to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery that couldn't be performed here. The injuries he received were more extensive then yours. There's a chance he might not make it. I can only assume you know..."**

 **An intense beeping infiltrated the room, reverberating in the confines of the curtained bed space.**

 **"His blood pressure is increasing, Officer Burke. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to cut this discussion short." A tender voice spoke from the opposite side of the bed, moving to switch a button to OFF.**

 **The annoying *beeping* stopped.**

 **Brian felt a cool, reassuring hand on his right wrist.**

 **"I'll be back later to talk more with you, Mr. Kinney. I have some questions for you... as I'm sure you do for me..." The officer's voice was fading in and out through Brian's ears.**

 **The slow draw of haziness filled Brian's eyesight again.**

 **Brian was more then thankful to slip back into unconsciousness. The all over body pain had almost become unbearable. He wondered when he would find out more about Michael...**

 **~~ &&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~**

 _ **Brian and Michael - Several minutes before the ambulance arrived**_

  
 **Brian awoke out of a clearly sobered haze... hanging upside down... still strapped in his seatbelt.**

 **The roof of the Jeep was smashed under Brian's head. The roll bar broken in two places, bent and deformed.**

 **Brian could reach out with his fingertips, touching the material of the cap.**

 **Brian's face felt hot and fevered from all the blood rushing to his head. Who knew how long he'd been in this position.**

 **"Michael...?" Brian moaned his first audible words... before he groaned in pain, trying to get out of his seat.**

 **Shit!! Was that his voice?? It sounded garbled and strange.**

 **"Fuck! Michael?! Mikey!?" Brian reached out his left hand, hoping to connect with living flesh. He could barely see from the blood seeping into his eyes.**

 **"Christ! I gotta get outta...! Mikey!!" Brian's head pounded furiously. He couldn't work the lock on his seat belt. It seemed stuck. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" His voice was warped and straining. It was almost too painful to utter one more word.**

 **Brian felt like he was falling, suspending in mid-air over his own destiny.**

 **Was he dead? Was Michael??**

 **"Michael Charles Novotny!!" Brian's voice became a raspy whisper. He put a hand to his throat and felt a shock of pain. The seat belt strap had almost cut him deeply.**

 **"Fuckin' speak to me already!!" Brian rolled his eyes, wondering what could have happened.**

 **What a time for Michael to choose to be stubborn.**

 **Brian tried to turn his head, feeling the aching pull of the neck muscles as he tried to look over at his left side.**

 **The driver's side where Michael had been not ten minutes ago.**

 **Brian inhaled a deep breath, forcing his body to move as one unit to take a peek. He noticed the unmistakable glare of light on the raven black locks... and exhaled a sigh of relief.**

 **Michael was there, but terribly quiet.**

 **Brian had to get out of his seat. He tried the belt latch one more time, but it wasn't budging. There was only one other thing he could do.**

 **Inhaling another huge, deep breath, Brian bore the sharp pangs of pain flowing through him as he tried to tuck his head under the cross-chest strap of the seat belt. If he couldn't get out the old-fashion way, he'd invent a new fuckin' way.**

 **The lap belt proved to be a little less giving.**

 **Brian shimmied his hips, sucking in his abdomen, shaking his body down the back of his seat. His body fell like melting snow, crumbling down to the ground. He tried to brace himself for impact against the ruined roof, which was now the floor of the Jeep. His legs bumped everything along the way, in awkward directions.**

 **Brian bit into his jacket sleeve, wanting to rip the material to shreds. He screamed in agony, from the startling pain, into the pliant leather.**

 **"Christ Almighty!! God in Heaven! Fuckin' Hell!" Brian let this outburst seep out of him, as he tried to even his breathing. He attempted to crawl to his knees, but he felt like he was nothing more then a newborn foal.**

 **Damn!**

 **Brian was facing the wrong way. He was facing out the passenger window. He'd have to turn around to reach Michael. He lay his palms flat on the road surface, under the torn material of his Jeep roof. He felt the pin-pricks of broken glass beneath.**

 **It wasn't easy, but Brian was soon facing the right direction. He could finally *see* Michael.**

 **Brian fisted Michael's jean clad hip. "Mikey!" He shook the body once, then twice, unsure what was causing him to be so silent.**

 **Brian realized he didn't know how hurt Michael was... and shouldn't really be shaking him like that.**

 **Feeling lightheaded and weary, Brian never knew where he found the extra strength to slide his body toward Michael's dead weight. From this angle... Michael's outcome didn't look promising.**

 **Brian tried not to jar the unmoving form too much as he made his way up.**

 **A random piece of jutting metal, from the damaged side of the Jeep, caved in from a side impact, had cut Michael's cross-chest seat belt off his body.**

 **That had left Michael's upper torso vulnerable to any damage to a quick beating. The air bag had deployed, laying deflated and lopsided, upside down. It looked as if Michael had been thrown from side to side, his head finally impacting the driver's side window.**

 **Brian discovered it hadn't been the light glinting off the raven black hair, it was the shards of glass twinkling in-between the strands.**

 **"Oh... Gawd! Michael!?" Brian didn't know where to touch first.**

 **Michael was limp and pale, unconscious and cold.**

 **"No!" Brian gutturally moaned out.**

 **Michael couldn't be what he thought.**

 **"NO!" Brian's already battered fist hit the concrete under him.**

 **Fate wouldn't play a fucking ugly trick like that on them.**

 **Reaching out a trembling hand, Brian tried to brush out the pieces of glass. He wanted nothing more then to pull Michael's body toward his, cradle him close, but any sudden movement might harm him more.**

 **Brian couldn't take the chance. He decided to use his voice to get Michael to wake up.**

 **"Hey, Michael." Brian felt the emotion meet his vocal chords. He couldn't let Michael see him upset. His dirty fingers brushed under his own eyes, wiping away the moisture.**

 **Brian reached out to tenderly cup Michael's face in his hand. "Hey, gorgeous!" He lightly chuckled, sniffling out. "Look at me. Open your beautiful eyes and look at me."**

 **Brian's index fingertip continued to tap Michael's available cheek. "I wanna see you smile. I need your smile, Mikey." He groaned at the gravity of the issue... the tragic loss of someone special.**

 **The other cheek was plastered to the road surface.**

 **Brian bent low over Michael's viewable earlobe. "Mikey... it's Brian. Wake up. Come on." He softly tugged on Michael's clothing, hoping for a simple sign that there was still life inside the cooling body under him.**

 **Brian could no longer hold himself up. His forehead dropped to gently lay on Michael's dark ebony hair. He tried deeply breathing away the pain, but it wasn't just in his bones and muscles, it was within his heart.**

 **"Please..." Brian silently moaned his prayer into Michael's rumpled clothing.**

 **"If there's any God above... listening. I... uh," Brian swiped under his nose. "... he's all I have. He's everything... to me." He tried to raise his body to hover over Michael, staring down at the precious features he could barely make out in the late evening. "Take me... instead..."**

 **As Brian tried to inhale he could feel the aches in his rib cage, his breathing becoming labored. "I promise... I swear to never hurt him again. To never let him doubt my purpose in his life... or his... in mine." He coughed into his hand, choking on his own saliva. "Fuck! No! THIS... can't be!!"**

 **Brian bit down on his top lip, nudging his face against Michael's soft, pale cheek. The flesh was slowly gaining some color. He reached out to press his lips against the warming skin. His overwhelming feelings were taking over as his tears strangled through his body. "I... love... him... GodDammit!!"**

 **Brian could hear distant noises of other cars stopping to see what was going on. He heard a few car doors slam shut.**

 **Rescue!! Finally!! Help for sure!!**

 **"I love you, Michael." Brian was tired of all the unsettling quiet. He reached up a hand to turn Michael's face toward him, needing those powerfully healing eyes to open, once more, before he passed out into oblivion.**

 **"Damn you, Michael Charles Novotny! You are NOT breaking your one golden rule! You can't go..." Brian voice caught, his head sinking down to brush against Michael's, venturing toward his ear. "... you haven't kissed me g'night... you little shit!!"**

 **Brian managed to raise his torso up, looking around the hood of the Jeep toward the four-way intersection. "Hey! Over here! We need some help!"**

 **In seconds flat, Michael jerked beneath Brian, curling into his pain filled body.**

 **Brian could only stare down in awe. The tears flowing freely now... down his dirtied cheeks.**

 **Michael coughed harshly, spitting out some glass that had cut the corner of his lip. "Oh... shit!! Brian..." He coughed into his hand and sneezed, sending glass everywhere.**

 **Instinctively, Michael reached up an arm to surround Brian's waist. It was as if he had witnessed the accident as it happened, knowing what had occurred and that both their lives had been in danger. His one mission had been to protect Brian from harm. "Oh... Gawd. You're okay. You're okay. You're okay." He kept chanting as he rubbed his hands all over Brian's prone form, making sure body parts weren't missing and still intact.**

 **Michael's hands wandered up to cup Brian's cheeks, smoothing back the dirt and grim, mixed with blood and glass. He didn't notice the ridiculous grin on Brian's lips, he just continued to kiss and brush away the dust... and tears? "Brian, what's...?"**

 **"Before I completely... lose consciousness... I love you..."**

 **"You do?" Michael quirked up an eyebrow in curiosity.**

 **What a time to reveal that bit of news!!**

 **Brian smiled wider, nodding his head, rolling his eyes in pain. "Kiss me g'night."**

 **"Wh-?"**

 **Michael never got to ask his question.**

 **Brian took what he wanted, which Michael, usually, freely gave... then proceeded to slowly sink into unconsciousness.**

 **"G'nigh'" Michael murmured against Brian's lips resting on his.**

 **Michael could see the crowd of onlookers approaching.**

 **"Help me!"**

 **"An ambulance is on it's way, sir!!" A man flipped his cell phone closed, having been on the line with 911.**

 **"Are you okay?" Another voice spoke out of the crowd.**

 **Complete strangers wandered closer, moving down to help Michael lift Brian's dead weight off him.**

 **"I'm fine." Michael wiped away his twin tears, feeling a surge of confidence take over. "Let's get him to the sidewalk." Several hands came to the rescue, knowing Michael was too weak to truly carry Brian's body. "I need blankets and jackets... anything you have to cover him up. He's shivering!" He took off his own jacket to use as a pillow under Brian's head. He looked about the abandoned streets. "Does anyone have any flares we can put out? We need a few people to direct traffic should the police not get here in tim-..."**

 **The distant drone of sirens could be heard.**

 **From the utter destruction of the Jeep, nobody could believe that either man had made it out alive. Let alone that one of them was walking about and coherently talking through the battery done to his face, head and body.**

 **Did Michael even realize how awful he looked? How in pain he was... or might be?**

 **Once Michael had made sure Brian was safe and tended to, he glanced over at a second car surrounded by more onlookers. They appeared to be trying to come to the aide of another injured victim.**

 **Michael knew what he had to do. His purpose focused on the tasks at hand. He knew CPR, if needed.**

 **Little did Michael know... he would be trying to help save the life of the man who had caused the very accident that he and Brian had crawled away from.**

 **~~ &&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~&&~~**

 _ **Brian & Michael - Two hours after being in the hospital.**_

  
The bed cubicle curtain was yanked across the track.

"They said you were sleeping. Not to disturb you."

Brian was sitting up, on the side of his ER stretcher. He still wore the neck brace. It relieved some of the pain of the strained muscles of his neck. His fingers clenched the sides of his mattress.

Brian thought he'd never hear that voice... ever again.

Brian bowed his head in shame at the fear of doubting that sometimes God did hear A Kinney when they called out to Him...

His silent gracefulness...

The tears began as a slow shaking of Brian's slumped shoulders...

Michael wasn't far behind, hastily wiping under his eyes to control the overflow. "And I told them... they could go fuck themselves... I was coming to find you no matter what."

Brian sniffled a snicker as he shook his head at the unbelievable sight of Michael standing before him. He wanted to stand on his own, as well.

Michael was there to catch him before Brian fell... like always... pulling the familiar body warmth securely into his waiting arms.

Brian sunk into his one and only *home*.

"You love me." Michael mumbled out, not sure if he had heard correctly.

"I do." Brian whispered out, holding Michael tighter to his quivering frame. His legs were wobbly for a whole different reason.

"I knew."

"Yeah... I know." Brian could barely speak, but he was making a decent effort. He wanted to say a hell of a lot more then what he could garble out.

"Love you, too." Michael soothed the arched back under his hands, finding the cool, naked skin under the gown's opening.

"I knew." Brian echoed.

"Yeah... I know." Michael pulled back to gaze up at Brian's bruised and battered face. "You still look incredibly better then me." He had a few bumps and bruises of his own on his face.

"Outside... sure... inside... not so much..." Brian could gaze down into Michael's chocolate eyes... forever. He gulped a breath at the thought of losing that one thing he'd grown fond of. Grabbing the tip of Michael's chin, Brian made him tilt his neck, just so. "Don't go." He pressed a tender kiss to Michael's brow, tucking him close.

Michael shook his head, his arm encircling Brian's waist more. "Never." He promised.

Brian shook his head, with what little range of motion he still had. "No... David... Don't." He was trying to ask him not to go on the trip with David and to never see the man again.

Michael wondered... hoping deep down inside. "What are you asking me?"

"Think..."

"I am... but isn't it a little sudden?"

"Long... enough." Brian knew Michael would know what he was responding to.

Their close, unusual friendship had been their own love story unfolding.

Michael wasn't sure he was certain Brian was asking what he thought he was. "Are you serious?"

"Always."

"You... and me?" Michael tried to speak in Brian's *Tarzan-like* dialog.

"Mikey... and Bri-n."

"Oh... Gawd! Ma's gonna slaughter me." Michael tried to bury his face in Brian's chest.

"Me... first!"

Michael had to put some distance between he and Brian to gaze at him, perplexed. "We are actually doing... THIS?" He used his index finger to gesture between both their bodies.

Brian climbed onto his stretcher, laying back down. He was beginning to feel a little lightheaded. "I am." He stated matter-of-fact and, quite, proudly. He went about to tuck his bare legs under the thin covers. He could finally go back to sleep, knowing Michael was here, safe and sound.

Michael didn't want to be a total loser. "Well, then... I will, too." He watched Brian lay down and close his eyes.

"Good!"

"Great!"

Brian held up the ace bandaged wrist for Michael to grab. "Shake."

Michael delicately slugged Brian's biceps. "Asshole."

Brian chuckled deeply, shutting his droopy lids. "Pathe-ti-k." He tried to enunciate his *lovesong* to Michael.

Michael leaned over to brush back Brian's wayward bangs that never seemed tameable, like the man himself. "Get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up. We'll talk more." He was about to move, taking a chair beside the bed.

Brian's fingers snagged on Michael's shirt.

Michael returned quickly, finding Brian pursing his lips up toward the air. He had to laugh, tearing up a bit at the adorable sight.

Michael wandered back to hover over Brian's head, twirling his fingers in the dark honeyed locks. "G'night."

"`nigh'."

Their lips met for only one second, assured there would be an infinite amount of moments later to savor their pleasure in one another.

Brian turned his face under the shelter of Michael's head, while Michael rested his cheek on Brian's brow.

"Love... you." Brian mumbled, drowsy.

Michael could only nod his head in reply, burying his face in the side of Brian's warm cheek. He had uttered those same words enough times to be satisfied, but he could barely say them even now... in light of their trauma tonight.

They remained in that position long after Brian fell back asleep.

The nurse, taking care of Brian, didn't even disturb Michael as she wandered in to take the vital signs. She could barely stand watching, holding back her own tears, as Michael quietly sniffled and sobbed, petting Brian's hair back from his brow, pressing soft, gentle kisses to his face and body. His own fears of losing his one and true love surfacing when Brian wasn't aware.

The nurse used the sleeve of her jacket to wipe away the hard evidence of her own weakness. She left them in peace, knowing that the days that followed would be fiery and tumultuous beyond all comprehension... in and out of their private life. She'd wait a few more minutes before sending the police officer back to continue his questioning.

 **==========THE END==========**

  


End file.
